Video: Police rescue man moments before car explodes

Officers cut the man's seat belt and dragged him away just moments before the vehicle was engulfed in flames

By PoliceOne Staff

YORBA LINDA, Calif. — Orange County police rescued a man from a burning car just seconds before it went up in flames Thursday.

Officers Shayne Stiefel and Gilbert Lascurain were on patrol when they discovered a minivan taxicab had crashed into a phone pole and was smoking, according to ABC 7.

The officers approached, yelling for the man to exit the vehicle.

“A million things [were] going through our minds at that time. Is this guy going to try to flee? Or is he going to try to harm us if we approach?" said Stiefel. "The driver was incoherent but looking around, like trying to light a cigarette."

When the officers saw flames in the passenger seat, they knew the man had to be cut out of the car quickly.

As they dragged him to safety, flames engulfed the vehicle.

"It kept me awake the whole night thinking about what would have happened if we showed up, you know, 10 or 15 seconds later," said Stiefel.

The driver, who was taken to a hospital, may have suffered from diabetic shock, according to the article.